It's Complicated
by InsomniAsylum
Summary: Story about OC Zoey becoming Nny's new fixation. May be a bit ooc at times. Don't hate. Rated M for language and violence. I don't own Jthm. All rights to Jhonen Vasquez.
1. A Night Out

**[Author's Note]**

 **This fic will** **fluctuate** **from my O.C.'s point of** **view to Johnny's. I will be as clear as I can as to which one is taking the spotlight. I did alter the original storyline a bit. I AM aware. So please don't harass me about the wall, Mr. Samsa, going numb, none of that.**

 **Thank you for your support. Thank you for reading. Leave reviews and advice :)**

 **Chapter One**

 _ **God, they**_ _ **scream so much...Always screaming, but never anything intelligible.**_

Johnny sat on the first step leading down into the basement and forlornly wiped his dagger clean. It had always intrigued and, at the same time, annoyed him that they were capable of such a feat. Blathering on like they do, but nothing coming out. Always having something to say and nothing but a jumbled cacophonous noise escaping thier worthless face holes.

 _"Oh, Johnny, there you go being melodramatic. You should go out tonight. Get away for a bit. Don't you think that would be nice?"_

Johnny stared hard at the floating rabbit's head that had seemingly appeared at his side out of nowhere.

"Always the voice of reason aren't you?" Johnny scoffed at the disembodied figure.

Nail-Bunny did have a point. It was a clear, warm night. It was a night that would be wasted sitting indoors, surrounded by _**them.**_ At length, he finally stood and walked away from the stairs, his footsteps drowning out the dreary silence of his house. He slammed the front door behind himself, leaving only the roaches and the poor souls trapped in its cavernous depths inhabiting the stagnant building.

Zoey brushed a strand of blue-black hair that had fallen into her pale, silver eyes. She continued to concentrate on her book as the shop's bell sounded, signaling a customer.

"Welcome to Head Noise, feel free to get my attention if you need anything," she recited in a monotone voice.

Two heavyset football guys and two ditzy girls, blonde and brunette sniggered at her, making comments about her "lame welcome" and began perusing the small music store.

"Hey, Brad check this out," said one of the girls, giggling. She had entered the classical section and had a cassette in her hand, the black tape pulled out in a long string. The one called Brad chuckled and caught it as the girl tossed it at him.

"Man, i haven't seen a cassette tape in ages!" He laughed.

At this, the other two wandered over as well, each grabbing cassettes and prying open thier cases, laughing. This wasn't unusual for Zoey. College students frequently came into the shop to buy cd's and often made snide comments about either her, or the cassettes. Damaging property was just a bit too far, however.

"Excuse me, but you are damaging merchandise.I'm going to have to ask you to pay for those," Zoey said angrily, coming out from behind the counter and snatching the tapes from the four of them.

The blonde girl of the group, seemingly 'head bitch', swiped one of the tapes back from her, and shoved her.

"Excuse _**me**_ **,** I was looking at that!" She retorted, glaring at Zoey.

Zoey stumbled into a shelf just as the bell from the front door chimed. She couldn't exactly welcome the customer this time. She straightened herself up and stood firmly in front of the four assholes.

"Fine, don't pay for it but you all need to leave. You've done enough damage, and I happen to _**like**_ the tape you just destroyed," Zoey shot back.

 _"I liiiiike it"_ the girl mimicked,in a whiny voice. "C'mon guys lets go somewhere cool" she added , shoving past Zoey.

The four all followed suit, knocking cassettes onto the floor as they went, and laughing. The bell chimed and the store grew quiet again. Zoey breathed a sigh of relief and knelt down, picking the tapes up to put back. She stood back up, tapes in her arms, and turned. To her surprise, there was a young man standing at the end of the aisle, staring at the shelf, minding his own business. He looked very tall, very thin, and very tired. Zoey wasn't the staring type, as it was very rude, but this guy's appearance held her captive. He dressed almost as she did, with jet black hair falling haphazardly into his eyes. Zoey then realized he had shifted his dark eyes to stare back at her without moving an inch.

 _ **Oh shit I'm standing here gawking at him!**_

"Um, sorry, If you need anything, I'd be happy to help. I forgot someone else had come in" she said hastily, but politely.

She turned back to the shelf and began putting the tapes back into their respective places, being careful to not look at him again. How embarrassing. Staring like that. Getting caught staring no less. Ugh sometimes she wondered what the hell was wrong with-

"Do you normally let people shove you around like that?" came a sullen voice behind her.

She jumped and whipped around, dropping the last tape she held on the floor at the feet of the young man who had seemingly materialized behind her. He ignored the tape, his eyes locked on hers, and she felt like he was looking into her rather than at her. It made her uneasy.

"No. No I don't, but I'm at work. Policy and stuff. I need my job..." she trailed off.

Her voice came out more shaky than she desired, becoming more and more uncomfortable with the intensity of his eyes burning into hers like that. Finally, thankfully, he dropped his gaze to the tape on the floor and knelt down, lifting it back up and flipping it over, examining it.

"This. I will buy this," he said suddenly, his eyes flicking back to hers as he held it out to her.

"Absolutely, right this way," Zoey replied, accepting the tape and turning abruptly to walk back to the counter.

She breathed in relief as she typed away at the register, trying not to make eye contact. She knew he was looking at her. She could feel it. As she finished up, she bagged the tape totaled it out.

"It comes to $2.95," she said looking up at him finally. She blinked in surprise. He was smiling, no...it was more like a smirk. Normally this would make her ask what his problem was, but his smirk was so... malicious.

He handed her three dollars, still grinning and turned away, walking off toward the door.

"Oh, I have your change!" Zoey called to his turned back.

He kept walking, waving a hand dismissively. "I will be back sometime soon, Its intrinsically worthless to me anyhow." He opened the door, causing it to chime and finally turned to face her again.

"Next time, I wont be so tolerant, so for safety, please don't let any more fucktards in here."

With that, he left, slamming the door and causing her to wince as the glass shattered all over the floor. Ugh...

She got out the broom and the dustpan and walked over, sweeping up the mess and cursing the fact that she needed her job so badly. This town was seriously fucked up.

"BY THE WAY!" A voice half shrieked at her, causing her to jump and squeal in surprise. He was back.

"We should talk more when I come back in. Maybe about Beethoven. You like Beethoven, I noticed. Sound good? GOOD!" He said very fast. 

Then as quickly as he had startled her, he was gone. She held a hand to her chest, leaning on the broom with the other. God damn. This. Town. Once she saved up enough she was leaving. Yup. Had to. This place was just waaaaay to crazy for her. Too bad she didnt know just _how_ crazy it was...

 **END**


	2. Chance Encounter

Johnny walked home contentedly with a plastic bag in one hand and a frooty pop in the other. That girl at Head Noise amused him. His very presence intimidated her so noticeably, he hadn't dragged her home with him like he originally planned. Staring was something that he just didn't let go unchecked, but she seemed to feel genuinely guilty enough for doing so. Besides, he had already painted the wall and dealt with the screaming and pleading that day. He shuddered. No, it was better to let this one go. For now at least.

"I'm hoooooome" he sang out, as he kicked the door open.

"welcome back" said Nail-Bunny. "You seem to be in a better mood than when you left."

"Yes, I have gone out and done stuff and things and now its done. I wont hear anymore out of you about going out" Johnny replied, flopping down onto the couch and grabbing the controller for the TV.

"Of course not," Nail-Bunny replied, gliding over to float next to him.

"Of course you could always go get a taco. Or maybe that new hamburger from wacdonalds," another voice rang out from the kitchen.

Johnny smacked a hand over his face and slowly rubbed at his forehead. "SHUT UP MEAT" he shrilled.

He could handle the bunny talking again, but that little burger boy wore on every nerve he had left. There was nothing he ever said that struck Johnny as wise. All this talk of giving in to his urges. Johnny knew he had them. They welled up inside him so much that he felt like he would bust at the seams. Before Reverend Meat had come along, they'd been a lot less prominent.

"Why the fuck are you even here anyway, you little shit?" Johnny hissed, more to himself than anything.

"We have been over this subject before and as I recall, you seemed unreasonably defiant. You got me as a gift from that girl... the one you fu-" Meat was cut short by Johnny, who had tromped over, eyes big as orbs, and grabbed the figurine, lifting him above his head.

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT YOUR FILTHY FUCKING MOUTH OR I WILL SMASH YOU!" Johnny shrieked.

"Let's not be rash Nny, lets think about this, shall we!? You look like you could use a BrainFreezy, yes!? YES, go get one!" the fragile doll screamed frantically.

Johnny paused, eyes wild with rage, and panted. Yes... a brainfreezy...sounded so good right now. He slowly put Meat down and drew his claw-like fingers through his hair.  
'I need to get away from the bad feeling Meat gives me. I hate going out more than once in a day' Johnny thought.

"It would be for the better...yessss. Trust me. You need to go, have fun. Get a BrainFreezy, a taco, something." Meat said.

Johnny sighed in defeat. Even his thoughts were monitored here. Was nothing sacred anymore? The more time he spent here in this house the more it tormented him. He had been stepping out everyday since the thing had come back. That dreaded thing. Raising questions within himself if he had truly died. Did it happen, or was it a dream? Surely not. Couldn't be. He pondered over things as he stepped back out into the world, embracing the darkness once more.

Zoey sighed and locked the door to the shop, relieved to finally be off from work. She grabbed her cd player and her bag and walked to the back lot, where her little black Camaro sat waiting for her. She smiled and walked over, digging in her bag for her keys, which she quickly found, and unlocked her car door. She climbed in and shut the door tight, being sure to lock it. She was always careful. Always. She checked the back seat. Nothing. Good. She started the car and drove out to the street, noticing her gas gauge was dangerously close to 'E'. She checked her bag. Forty dollars. Also good. She drove for a while until she got closer to her own neighborhood and pulled up at a pump in the 24/7 parking lot.

"I really hope that jerk isn't working tonight," she muttered under her breath, climbing out of her car and shutting the door, locking it.

Zoey entered the building and walked up to the counter to pay for her gas. Thankfully the clerk she hated wasn't there. She handed the clerk the two twenty dollar bills and suddenly realized she forgot what pump she was on. God, the day had been so stressful, honestly.

"Shoot, I'm sorry I forgot what pump I'm at, let me go look really fast." she walked over and peered out the window. "Seven, its seven, I'm sorry again" she said.

The clerked rolled his eyes and took her money and rang it up. "I hate slow people," he commented.

Zoey's face burned. "Excuse me!?" she spat hotly.

The clerk looked at her unapologetically. "you're sllllooooooow" he replied.

Zoey's mouth dropped open. Then she gritted her teeth. "FUCK YOU ASSWIPE" she raged. Then she punched him in the face and stormed outside, fuming.  
She angrily pumped her gas and stood there shaking her head incredulously. The damn nerve of people these days. Sometimes she wished she could just... just...

"I wish I could shove them headfirst into a meat grinder and make their families eat the shit that came out the other side. Cuz that's what they all are...SHIT." she said out loud on accident. Oh well. She didn't particularly care how weird she may sound. The only people that came out at this ungodly hour were other graveyard shifters and crazies. She finished pumping her gas and put the lever back up, slamming her gas cover back down and fumbling through her bag for her keys. The faster she got away from here the sooner she would be safe back in her home.

"That was ballsy back there, by the way" came a voice from... above her?

She slowly looked up and saw a guy perched on top of her car, staring down at her with glittering eyes of approval. It was HIM. The guy who was in Head Noise earlier. And he was on top of her car. With his metal tipped boots. 'Nonononononono!' she silently reprimanded him. He must have noticed her eyes fixed to his boots and her car, and her devastated expression, because he suddenly gave a look of disdain and hopped down swiftly with inhuman speed. He was closer to her than she liked, but at least not on her car.

"As I was SAYING, before your annoyingly disgusting love for a material thing got in the way..." He slammed both hands against her car, making her flinch and trapping her between them. He stared vehemently into her widened pale eyes.

"Oh, um... um.. thank you? I was just really pissed off" she choked out.

The guy rolled his eyes, but backed off nonetheless. "Was that so hard?" He leaned his back against her car and crossed his ankles, thrusting his hands into his coat pockets.

" W-what are you doing on this side of town anyway?" Zoey stammered.

"I happen to LIVE on this side of town on Green street" he replied flatly.

"That's... kind of a long walk. Can I give you a ride home?" Zoey offered, concerned.

"Used to it," he replied, sideways glancing at her.

"Well, I'd like to give you a lift. Honestly, I live one street over from you, it's no trouble at all. Plus this is such a bad neighborhood. There's a serial killer on the loose, dude, and walking that far is just-"

"Johnny," the guy said suddenly, cutting her off.

"Johnny?" Zoey repeated back.

" Yes. Johnny. Or Nny. I prefer Nny. But not 'dude'." He said.

Zoey nodded. "Well ok Nny, please let me take you home?"

END


	3. Nightmares

Johnny sat in the passenger seat of the young woman's camaro, staring blankly ahead, resting his cheek in his palm. The orange fluorescent glow of streetlights flitted past as she drove them toward thier neighborhood. Zoey... that's what she had called herself, but he chose 'Zee'. Shorter. Nicer. He stole a glance at her, her light gray eyes were trained on the road attentively.

He remembered how she had socked that casier in the face and walked out, not even noticing him standing there to the side finishing off his freezy. Not noticing him follow her out as she ranted about mutilating people. He smirked. Perhaps they had more in common than the Beethoven book she seemed to have been reading that night.

He toyed with the idea of inviting her in when they reached his home. It would be a welcome distraction from Meat and Nail-Bunny. Without the dough boys there, surely he wouldn't have a repeat of the incident with...He shook his head forcing the memory out. She did seem rather fearful of the 'serial killer' that was on the loose... He laughed internally.

"Hey Nny? We're on Green street..." Zee's voice interrupted his thoughts.

He scanned the street quickly, scoping out whether they had passed his house. Not yet.

"Seven-Seven-Seven," he told her.

She nodded and refreshingly enough, didn't make any annoying references to God. He had met the guy. Not as awesome as one would think. Johnny smirked to himself, as Zee pulled up to the curb in front of his house. She looked a bit concerned about the state of it. At least she didn't know about the basement or the wall.

Zoey shut her headlights off so she wouldn't be blasting light into Nny's neighbors' windows. She kept her car running. No point in turning it off. She took a look at his house and balked. The front yard was dirt, the windows were boarded, the whole thing looked abandoned.

She decided not to say anything as he got out and shut the car door, thankfully not with the same force he seemed to use on other doors. Zoey reached to turn her lights back on, and stopped when Nny leaned into view by her open window, resting on his arms.

"Do you want to come in for a bit?" He asked calmly.

Zoey brushed a strand of hair from her face and shook her head softly. "Its really late and I should get home and shower," she explained. "But thank you, I do appreciate the offer, Nny," she added quickly, seeing his previously unemotional expression turn dissatisfied.

Nny stood and drummed his hands on the sil of her window, looking down at her with calculative eyes. "Okay then," he said with a shrug. He began to walk away toward his house and Zoey called out quickly.

"Nny, wait a second."

Nny stopped and turned back. "Yes?"

Zoey found a pen and scribbled her number on the back of a receipt from getting gas. She folded it and handed it to him, and he stuck it into his coat pocket without asking what it was.

"Have a good night , be safe!" Zoey said as he started back up his walkway. He waved his hand beside his head in a small salute of thanks with his back still toward her.

A short while later, Zoey stepped out of the steamy bathroom, towel drying her hair and then tossing it into a nearby laundry basket for later. Her stomach growled at her.

"Ugh I'm so hungry."

She went into her kitchen and rummaged through her pantry. Toaster tarts sounded ok. She grabbed a package and plopped down on her couch, flipping the tv on and munching her tarts.

She felt herself becoming very drowsy and fought like hell to keep her eyes open. She hated sleeping. She always dreamt of the psycho that was killing people coming after her. Funny how her brain loved to latch onto horrific things. She always had vivid nightmares. Night Terrors. So night after night, she fought the drowsiness. The soft drone of the tv won over a while later, however, and she conked out cold on her couch, illuminated by the dull glow Pe

Johnny entered his house, pulling his coat off and tossing it over the arm of his couch. The small sheet of papper fluttered out of the pocket and landed at his feet. He picked it up and curiously unfoldd it, reading what Zee had scribbled down.

 _ **In case you want to hang out sometime, or need a ride somewhere. I can come over or you can come to my house. But don't walk around at night, that maniac is out there.**_

 _ **-Zee**_

She had jotted down her phone number at the bottom. He smiled.

"What's that, Nny? It's from a girl? Do you like her?" Meat's voice grated on his nerves.

"Leave him alone, Rev. Can't you keep your comments to yourself?" Nail-Bunny interjected.

'Yes, leave me alone,' Johnny silently seethed. 'Besides, it doesnt matter. Even if I did like her, she would learn of the unspeakable horrors I've committed and that would be that. I'd have to give her to the wall too. I AM the killer she's so desperately and avidly trying to stay away from. People like me don't get to have real friends.' He thought bitterly.

END


	4. Old Flames, New Friends

Zoey woke with a start at sunset, feeling sunlight filter through a window across her face, and pushed herself up from the floor. She trembled as the air hit her sweat laden body. She looked around and realized there were kitchen knives spread all over the floor. Her stomach sank. Not again... She had a tendency to thrash, scream, and sometimes even walk around in her sleep. When it was bad, it was really, really bad. Her side stung. Her arm hurt. Her back throbbed. She must've acted out her dream.

 _ **That damned nightmare again.**_ She thought, silently cursing.

She went into the bathroom and drearily looked at herself in the floor length mirror that hung on the wall next to her sink. Her pale skin contrasted greatly with her long blue-black hair. Her pale, almost silver eyes lined with thick, long black lashes stared back at her from sunken sockets. She looked like death. She pulled her shirt off, which was stained with blood, to inspect herself as she often did after a specifically bad episode. She was thin, but not emaciated.

Her ribs were visible, but not too badly, at least she thought. Then she saw the cuts. one on her upper arm and one across her left ribcage. her skin was smeared with flakes of dried blood. She turned around and looked at her back, her eyes stinging with tears. It was like someone had hit her with a baseball bat. An angry red and purple bruise lashed diagonally across her back. No telling how that had happened. Zoey gritted her teeth and screamed through them, pounding her fists into the mirror, sending spider cracks through it, tears flowing freely.

Zoey stumbled off to her room, rifling through her dresser and finding a long sleeved black shirt and a pair of black jeans. She pulled them on slowly, wincing at the pain from her injuries. Then she grabbed her phone and her thumbs dialed the buttons on her cordless. It rang. And rang. A third ring. Someone finally picked up the phone on the other side.

"Zoey?" came the male voice on the other end.

"Rion, I had an episode," Zoey said, trying to keep the tears out of her voice.

"I'll be there soon," came his reply.

 _ **Click**_.

Zoey sat across the table from her ex boyfriend, staring down at her hands as she twisted at the material of her shirt sleeves. They had decided to talk at a diner about eight blocks away from her house. She had excused herself to the restroom to wipe away any lingering tears, and he got them a table and sodas. She watched the bubbles fizz in her drink quietly. She bit her lip, her eyes welling up again. Rion reached across the table to hold her and hand she shrunk away instinctively. He sighed.

"Still afraid of being touched, I see," he said.

Zoey turned her head. "You promised me," she replied pointedly.

"Yes, I did. And I will keep it, but how do you expect me to be your friend if you won't let me do anything to comfort you?" he retorted.

Zoey shrugged at him. "Kind words of encouragement?" She supplied, yawning deeply.

"Drink your soda, Zoey. Caffeine will help the drowsiness," Rion assured her.

"I'm not thirsty right now," she said defiantly.

He made a sound of disapproval, but dropped the subject. They had broken things off a little over a month ago, but he demanded that they stay friends. She agreed on certain conditions. They wouldn't be affectionate AT ALL, he couldn't keep tabs on her like he used to, and no more calling her every five minutes. She had broken up with him for a great deal of reasons, and those reasons were why she had rules. He had been overly controlling and jealous, but he was her only friend, what could she do? It had been a couple weeks since they last talked.

"So, what happened?" Rion inquired, staring hard at her with piercing hazel eyes.

"I had a nightmare... woke up covered in blood and knives everywhere," Zoey recalled.

"That sounds pretty bad. Do you, I mean, have you gotten the cuts looked at?" Rion asked, furrowing his brows.

Zoey shook her head silently. "They weren't life threatening. Most of them have healed over, they are just sore."

Rion stared at her, shaking his head and sighing leaning back against the booth.

"You should at least let me take a quick look at them just in case. I did go to medical school after all," he reminded her.

Zoey shook her head again in defiance. There was absolutely no way she was going to expose herself in front of Rion. That was the other thing she had problems with when she was with him. The guy could not keep his hands to himself. No, definitely not a good idea. She would much sooner eat a bowl of razor blades than take her shirt off in front of him.

Rion sighed once again and seemed to accept defeat. "How about we go to the bar around the corner and get a few drinks?"

"I will go, but I'm not going to drink anything," Zoey told him.

"Why not? You need it more than I do!" He exclaimed, chuckling.

"One of us has to be sober enough to drive," she reminded him.

"Fair enough Zo," He responded, using his old nickname for her.

"I like Zee better," she informed without thinking.

Rion gave her a funny look then shrugged it off. "Alright, _**Zee.**_ I will buy your drinks and I will stay sober, since you need it more."

Zoey contemplated his new offer, carefully weighing the pros and cons. _**The worst that could happen is him getting drunk behind my back and me having to trek the eight blocks back home. With that murderer lurking about.**_

"Oh c'mon" Rion pleaded. "It's been so long since we hung out!"

 _ **True**_. Zoey thought to herself.

"I just don't want to end up having to walk back home," Zoey said with exasperation.

"You really think I would do that to you? Zo, seriously. You're being dramatic," Rion said sourly.

"OKAY. Fine. Let's go," Zoey agreed finally.

Rion grinned happily and escorted her out of the small diner, walking with her to the small bar that stood on the corner.

Johnny sat on his couch, staring down his telephone intently. A small pile of shredded paper lay at his feet, the note Zee had given him had fallen victim to the nervous, destructive nature of it's owner. It didn't matter. He had the entire thing memorized. He stood up abruptly, walked over to the phone, and reached for it. Then he drew his hand back as if it had hissed at him. He paced in front of it instead. Paced and paced, then sat back down on theb couch, resuming his staring contest with it. He stood back up and walked back over to it, staring down at it.

"God _**damn**_ it, Nny! Just do it! Call her! We will all be better off for it!" Meat wailed.

"Shut the fuck up, lard ass, I am trying to _**think**_!" Johnny shot back viciously.

"Even if she doesn't answer it doesn't mean she doesn't like you, Nny," Nail-Bunny reassured him.

 _ **And what if she doesn't like me? What if she changed her mind about being my friend?**_

"Then you march straight over to where she works and _**make**_ her like you! Take her! Take what you want!" Meat exclaimed joyfully.

Johnny blanched, horrified at the disgusting suggestion the figurine had just spewed forth.

"SHUTTHEFUCKUP YOU OOZING, FESTERING, MAGGOT TRAP. I WILL NOT LISTEN TO MORE OF YOUR SWILL TONIGHT. FFFFUUUUUCK!" Johnny ranted at the top of his voice.

"Might I humbly remind you, Nny; I AM you. Your desires and cravings incarnate. You are only arguing within yourself," Meat explained.

"ENOUGH!" Johnny yelled, punting the doll with his foot. The fragile Bub's figure landed safely on the couch.

Johnny then deftly crossed the room and yanked the phone receiver off its hook, dialing Zee's phone. _**This will make him shut his face**_.

The phone rang and rang and rang... and rang some more, until Zee's tired, soft voice came on, telling him to leave a message. He hung up as if the receiver had caught fire in his hand. She didn't answer. Well fuck. His blood burned inside him like hot oil. He dug his fingernails into the wood of the side table, leaving gouge marks, and gritted his teeth.

"Nny, there is always a chance she just went out, or is at work. You don't know her schedule, remember? She is not rejecting you," The bunny's head floated beside him reassuringly.

Nail-Bunny was right; of course he was right. She could be at the store. Or running some mundane task. His temper dropped. He would, of course, check the music store first. If she wasn't there, he would comb through the other shops. He was good at finding people. Unnaturally good at it, unless by some chance something distracted him along the way. Which reminded him... He grabbed his daggers and slid them into the inside pockets of his coat.

"I will be back later," he said, walking out into the balmy night air.


	5. Fading and Deceit

Zoey sat out in the patio area of the bar with Rion, sipping on a small rum and coke. She didn't normally drink, but damn it all, it was numbing the annoying burning in her wounds. She took another small sip, fighting the urge to shudder at the taste. Rion sat on the stool across from her, smiling. Why did he have to be so cheerful? Perhaps he was simply trying to help.

"Want another one?" he asked nodding his head toward her glass. "It looks watered down by now," he added.

Zoey took another sip, shaking her head. "I don't drink often, this is fine," she told him. She could already feel the alcohol seeping into her veins. It was warm, tingly, nice...

Rion drank from his own glass, a simple iced tea. He was keeping his word so far and that lulled her into a sense of security.

"Hey I'll be back, just a sec," Rion said, getting up and walking off toward the bar.

"No alcohol for you!" Zoey reminded him.

"Course not," Rion chuckled. "I'm getting something for you, dork," he added.

Despite her protests, he simply walked off anyway. Ugh. Knowing him he'd be back with some horrible concoction that would completely knock her off her feet.

 _ **That's fine, let him. I'll just sip at it.**_ Zoey thought to herself.

She glanced around the patio and did a bit of people watching. It was full of happy laughter and drunk rambunctious guys with even more outgoing girls clinging to them. The stale smell of cigarettes clung to the air, which made Zoey wrinkle her nose when she and Rion had first arrived.

Another happy outburst from the table across the way drowned out the sound of the music that played from inside the building. They all seemed so oblivious to the bad things in life going on around them. She shook her head. Would she ever be that naïve? Sometimes she wished she was so lucky. So blissfully unaware of the rotting state of affairs that took hold of society.

"Here you go, little lady," Rion said, appearing from behind her and plunking two large shot glasses in front of her.

Zoey lifted one and smelled it. "Christ, what in the hell is this?" She coughed out, feeling her eyes water at the smell.

"That, my dear, is called an Ever-bomb," he responded , speaking through laughter at her reaction.

"It smells like straight rubbing alcohol, is this shit even legal?" Zoey asked, turning her nose up at it.

"Just try it, it's way better than it smells, trust me." Rion coaxed.

Zoey stared at the clear liquid in the glass she held. What could it hurt? She downed one, shuddered, then downed the other. Rion let out a small cheer of approval, grinning at her from across the table.

"That. T-that was-s gross." Zoey sputtered, still shuddering.

She managed to shake the aftereffects off and breathed, feeling dazed. "I feel flammable now," she added.

Rion continued giggling at her, his face bright red. "I might've fibbed a bit about the taste," he admitted.

"Might've?" Zoey chided, laughing a bit. "I need a ssssoda," she added, slurring a bit as she started to feel way more than just tipsy. "I'm gonna go to the ressstroom for a sssecond, you go get me a sssoda," she instructed, getting down from her stool carefully.

"Alright Zo, no problemo," Rion agreed, helping her into the bar lightly.

Zoey tripped slightly across the threshold of the bathroom, but shot her arm out and grabbed the nearby sink, steadying herself and walking around to stand in front of the mirror. She looked fine. Still a bit tired with her dark circles, but not nearly as bad as she had earlier that evening at home. And the pain was gone. She felt wonderfully numb. So very much better.

 _ **Thank youuuuu Rioooooon!**_ She sung inside her head, not able to stop the short, quiet giggle that burst out from herself.

Zoey, finally satisfied with her small amount of solitude, made her way back outside to Rion, who waited at their table, holding out a glass of soda.

"Thaaaaannnk youuuu" she giggled, accepting the glass and taking a much needed swig.

Rion nodded toward her, smiling. "You gonna be alright?"

Zoey stared at him for a moment then burst out laughing. "I am soooo drunk. What-what the hell was in that shit?"

Rion cracked a smile. "Ever clear, sprite, bit of lemon juice, and other odds and ends." He replied. "Pretty good shit though ain't it?" he added, catching her lightly as she tottered a bit to the side.

"Ooooo yes, pretty good shhhhhit," She said, hiccupping. "But why're my legs like jelly?" she inquired, holding onto the tabletop for support.

"Wellll... that would be the odds and ends I mentioned earlier," Rion chuckled. "Just something to help you relax. I tried slipping it to you earlier in the diner, but you wouldn't touch your drink," he said with annoyance.

Did she just hear that right? "Rion that's... that's not right... you drugged me?"

Rion nodded. "I had the best intentions, trust me," he said.

Zoey shook her head weakly. "I want to go home. NOW." She said, digging around in her trench coat for her car keys.

"I have your keys, Zo, I'm not letting you drive," Rion said, dangling them in front of her.

"It's **ZEE** ," she shot back, trying and failing to snatch her keys back. Her arms were too weak.

"Fuck, Zo, if you wanna go home, I'll take you," he said.

Rion grabbed her around the waist, letting her hold onto him to steady herself and led her out of the bar, back down the street to her car. Little did he know, he was being watched like prey. Being followed from the shadows every step of the way by a person with far worse intentions than himself; the type of person that you should pray wasn't fixed on you, and definitely not in the dark.

Rion propped Zoey up on the passenger side of her Camaro and looked at her as her eyes glazed slightly, her vision fading in and out.

He started stroking her hair, looking into her eyes. What the fuck was he going to do to her.

"Rion, stop... don't touch, remember?" Her voice sounded weak. She hoped he didn't notice.

Rion sighed deeply. "Zo, why can't it be like it used to be? I miss you, but you're being so selfish." He moved closer, pressing himself to her.

Zoey did not like the look in his eyes, or the feeling of his body on hers. Even his scent was appalling. She feebly pushed at him, trying to slide out from under his weight, but he had her pinned, and grabbed hold of her shoulders.

"Rion, let me go. Take me home," she demanded, close to tears.

"Yes, I will take you home. And when we get there, you're going to stop being so damn stubborn and let us be together," Rion said firmly. "We can't do that here where people are staring, can we? So I'm gonna go grab some stuff from my car across the street and make sure it's locked, then we will go," he added, leaning in to kiss her.

She found enough strength to avoid the kiss, by moving her head away, her eyes pooling with tears. How could she be this stupid? Her vision was blurry, she couldn't move her arms or legs. Even her hearing was becoming muffled. Rion snorted aa sound of anger at her avoidance, and sat her down on the curb, walking off across the street to his car. She would try to run if she could, but she couldn't move, couldn't see...

She heard the muffled sounds of shouting. _**A scream, a thump..it sounded far away**_. She was slipping from consciousness. Suddenly, she was being lifted up from the ground, cradled in someone's arms briefly before being placed in her car. This was it. This horrible thing was going to happen to her, and she was powerless.

 ** _"Where do you live?"_** a voice frantically shouted her. She felt as if they were driving very fast.

Her head lolled down as she drifted off.

 _"_ _ **GODDAMNIT Zee!"**_ the voice said, sounding farther away. _**Nny... It's Nny...**_ Only he called her that... She must've felt safe now, ironically, because with that final bit of thought, she faded completely, blacking out.


	6. Waking Up

[RECAP FROM JOHNNY'S POV]

Johnny walked briskly down the street, trying as hard as he could to drown out the noises from the infested local population. He was headed toward the music store that Zee worked at. He didn't want to stop and deal with any cockroaches tonight. No. He was intent on finding her and making her keep her offer of hanging out. He needed to converse with someone other that the parasites and the voices.

"Rion that's not right... you drugged me?"

"I have your keys, Zo"

Zee's voice. He could pick her soft, trembling voice out from a crowd anywhere. He snapped his attention instinctively toward the source, hiding beside the patio of the bar, and spotted her. She was with a guy. Johnny's blood curdled for a moment before he shook the feeling away.

What is she doing in a horrible place like that?

Suddenly, the guy was leading her off the balcony and straight toward Johnny. He shrunk back into the shadows as they passed, his eyes flashing from the dark. They got a short distance away and he watched the pair like a hawk, following between buildings.

Zee's car loomed into view, and Johnny watched on as the guy leaned her up on it. The conversation that ensued afterward made Johnny's stomach twist. He'd heard and seen quite enough. The guy started walking across the street and Johnny darted after him, catching up quickly and slamming the guys face into the asphalt. The guy made a yelping noise. Blood gushed out of his nose as Johnny dragged him off down the alleyway.

"PEOPLE LIKE YOU MAKE ME SICK," Johnny screamed at the guy, throwing him to the ground.

The guy scrambled onto his back and eyed Johnny in anger. "Who the fuck are you? you scrawny little shit! I swear to god, I will fuck you up!" The guy got to his feet and came at Johnny, who pulled his daggers out and started walking straight toward him as well. The guy stopped in his tracks, horrified, but Johnny kept his pace, whipping around behind the guy, and crossing his daggers at his throat. Small beads of blood formed.

"Oh look, and I half expected some kind of primordial ooze," Johnny said into the guy's ear.

"Dude, please... let me go! I wasn't gonna do anything to her I swear," the guy lied.

Johnny pinned him with lightning speed to the brick wall, Driving one of his daggers through the guy's stomach and straight into the brick with inhuman strength. The guy shrieked, staring down at the dagger with eyes bigger than dinner plates. A torrent of blood gushed over the blade. He defecated himself , making Johnny sneer and draw back in disgust.

"Lies lies lies," Johnny tsked at him, calmly pacing back and forth in front of him, pointing the other dagger at his face. "You see, the difference between an innocent date and a date rape is one small factor. The rape. Sex is all you seem to care about. Your feeble male minds latch onto it, like FUCKING CRACK!" Johnny raged over the incessant pleading coming from the guy's face. _**Noise, just noise...**_

"You writhing, disgusting sea of fetid flesh! All I see before me are maggots scampering over the surface of a planet that has tried time and time again to rid itself of the human DISEASE. AND YOUUUUU! I heard every depraved thing you said to her...DO I NOT HAVE EARS!? CAN YOU TELL ME AGAIN MR. SHIT STAIN, THAT YOU WEREN'T GOING TO DO WHAT I THINK YOU WERE!? WELL!?"

The guy whimpered at the maniac's sudden mood swing, blood starting to seep from his mouth as he cried. "Please let me go..." he sobbed desperately.

"I was polite. I gave you a chance to speak and apologize for your grotesque actions, and you chose that? No more speaking for you now," Johnny informed him.

"IAMSORRYPLEASELETMEGOOOO!" The guy scream-cried.

Johnny's eyes flashed like lanterns in the dark.

"Remember when Zee asked you to let HER go? And you DIDN'T, did you? No, you were too clouded by your lower brain to notice. It's too late for apologies now. That time was earlier and you botched it. No second chances. NOBODY GETS SECOND CHANCES TO USE THE RIGHT BRAIN. YOU CHOSE WRONG!"

Johnny stabbed him in the groin and twisted the blade, causing a sickening popping noise. The guy shrieked again, sobbing uncontrollably. He yanked the blade back out and took hold of the one pinning the guy instead.

"I will let you go... Yes, you'll go. STRAIGHT TO FUCKING HELL!" Johnny drew the dagger upward, slicing the guy cleanly in half. His viscera and blood spilled all over the dirt, as his heart beat twice in shock then stopped. Johnny looked down at the mess, growling and dragging the corpse over to a dumpster, hoisting it easily and dumping it in.

"Tell Senior Diablo I said 'Hi' when you get there." Johnny said darkly.

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 _ **Something smelled damp. Dirty... Musty... Sickeningly sweet. Dead blood... She faded in and out of consciousness... Down a staircase...dark, dreary. Brown stained walls... Dirt walls... A male voice screaming...Pleading... A long string of curse words...Screaming her name over and over...shaking her... Something roughly shoved down her throat...choking...Her stomach gurgled... like a vacuum sucking her insides out... Were those screams coming from her? Shooting pains...she was on fire... Then blissful nothingness.**_

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Johnny watched Zee sleep on his couch, wringing his hands and then burying his face in them, raking his nails across his scalp as he shook uncontrollably. He had never done this before. He took lives. Never saved them. What could this mean? Why her? He should have let her die like the others, but he couldn't control himself. As if someone had shoved their festering hand into his very soul and used him as their sick plaything. He carried her down THERE. A personal place, a place for killing. Instead, he had pumped her stomach out, crying and screaming and begging her to live. It was as if he was possessed.

Zee stirred on the couch and let out a whimper in her sleep. Her voice set off firebombs in his stomach. _**"Johnny..."**_ She murmured in her sleep. He twitched and jerked his head up and stared at her sleeping face, turning from sallow pale to ghost white. _**What was THAT? What was she dreaming? Why!? Why was it about him? Did she hate him? What the fuck was going on anymore!?**_

"Calm down, Nny." Nail-Bunny interjected in a soothing voice.

Johnny became suddenly aware that he had dug his fingers straight through his floorboards, and was breathing heavily. Yes he needed to calm the fuck down.

" It was a good thing you did, saving your friend's life, she looked to be on the brink of death when you carried her inside," Meat added, actually sounding intelligent for once.

"She will be weak when she wakes up. Loopy. You'll have to nurse her back to health for a while, death does that to people." Nail-Bunny told him, floating over to look at Zee.

Johnny nodded solemnly in agreement. _**Death does that to people...**_

"There's no way she will be anything but grateful when you do this for her. Look at your prize, Nny. You worked hard to obtain it. You have her now, all to yourself. Away from the scum that roams outside these walls!" Meat chimed.

Johnny didn't have the energy to tell the doll to shut up.

"She is waking up!" Nail-Bunny exclaimed joyfully and looking down at Zee like she were a sleeping princess.

"Get away from there! Disappear!" Johnny waved his hands at the bunny head, then took hold of the burger boy and hastily shoved him into his bedroom. He jumped up to the end of the couch, sitting on the arm furthest from Zee's head to monitor her as she woke. At long last she opened her eyes and seemed to be trying hard to focus on Johnny's waiting face. She coughed.

"I need water," she said in a weak voice.

Johnny nodded and walked into his kitchen in search of a cup. Cup, cup, cup, cup...Aha.

He turned the tap on his kitchen sink and waited for the rust to clear out of the running water, before sticking the cup under the stream. He shut it off and carried it back out to Zee, who had managed to push herself up into a slouching position. He handed it to her and watched her lift it shakily to her mouth, tipping it slightly and taking a gulp. She set it back in her lap.

"How did I get here?" she whispered.

"I brought you. This is my house." Johnny replied.

"I feel so...weird," Zee said groggily.

"You were drugged." Johnny reminded her.

A look of realization crossed her face, and she suddenly burst into silent tears. Johnny looked away from her.

"I tried to call you. You didn't answer." Johnny said with an air of frustration.

"I'm sorry Nny... I've been having kind of a fucked up couple of days, but I'm here now. We can hang out," Zee said, apologetically wiping her tears away.

Johnny looked to her in confusion. Just like that, she apologizes. She was drugged, almost died, woke up here in his house, which had to be strange for her, and she readily takes blame for not being there to answer her phone? Johnny's heart skipped.

"Yes, well. I forgive you, but when you say I can call, and I do, you should be there." Johnny replied.

Zee laughed. "I will definitely make sure I answer when you call from now on. Unless I am working."

"If you're working, I will call your work phone," Johnny informed her. Zee nodded in acceptance. He kept the relief he felt hidden from her. There were still reasons to be suspicious.

"Um, Nny?" Zee said timidly.

"Hm?"

"Did...you drive my car here?" She asked.

"Yes. I stole the keys from that guy who was practically trying to _rape_ you in the street." Johnny sneered.

Zee lowered her head. "Rion...What happened to him?" She furrowed her brows as if trying to reach deep inside her mind and remember. How dangerous a thing to do.

"No idea, but should you necessarily care? The guy was a fucking creep," Johnny reminded her darkly.

Zee seemed satisfied with his answer, thankfully, and probed no deeper into the subject.

"Um, if it's ok with you, I would really like to go back home," Zee said.

Johnny felt a pang of anger and annoyance in the pit of his stomach. After all he had done for her she wanted to leave? _**No. That just won't do...**_ He slowly reached between the arm and the cushion of the couch, closing his hand around the handle of a hidden blade.

"If you want to come with me, and stay the night, I have TV. I have tons of movies... I don't want to sleep tonight. I've been having... well, sleeping issues, but if you sleep its ok. My couch is comfortable. Or you can have my bed. Since, you know, I don't want to sleep. Also I-"

"Zee, shut up. I'll go. You don't need to beg me, I hate begging," Johnny said, cutting her rant off. His stomach unknotted. He let go of the knife in the couch. Maybe he was misjudging her too quickly...

END


	7. Calamity

Zoey allowed Nny, to drive them back to her house, since her body was still weak. She sat in the passenger seat, watching the houses fly passed. She only lived one street over. Nny was a fast driver, but she wouldn't dare tell him to slow down. There was something about him that was just... different. Scary almost. She looked over at him briefly, being sure not to let him catch her staring. He didn't seem to care for that very much.

"What's your address!?" He barked, startling her.

"Six-six-six," she replied, feeling embarrassed.

Nny stared hard at her. "You're kidding? Because that is not funny."

"No, its really six sixty-six." She insisted.

"Interesting," Nny replied.

Zoey sat up in her seat as her new friend found her small, grey brick house with black shutters, and pulled into the driveway. She opened her car door and climbed out, holding onto the door for support. Her house was on a steep incline and her legs were still weak. Nny came around to her side and tilted his head at her.

"Are you going to make it?" He asked.

Zoey nodded and shut the car door, taking a step and then falling forward as her knees gave out under her. Nny caught her quickly and steadied her, laughing obnoxiously. Zoey glared.

"I can't do it," she said in a defensive tone.

Nny got behind her and put his hands on her ribs, holding her up. She winced as his fingers pressed against her wound.

"Oww,"she said softly.

He let her go abruptly. She grabbed his arm to keep from falling over.

"This is becoming stupid," Nny seethed.

"This is fine... I got it now," she said, linking arms with him and letting him lead her up the driveway.

He was so thin, thinner than her. She could feel his ribs against the side of her arm through the heavy material of his shirt. She heard him give a low laugh as they made it to the front door, and he saw her welcome mat that said 'Fuck Off!' She giggled a little too, and got her house key separated from her car keys, unlocking her door and shoving it open. She went in first and then gestured for Nny to follow, unknowingly welcoming the murderer she feared above all else into her home.

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Zoey turned on the lamp next to her couch and the living room was flooded with a soft blue glow. Nny had wandered off, exploring her house like a cat being brought into a new place. She heard a faint clinking come from her kitchen, and went to investigate. To her horror, Nny was squatting down, in the midst of dozens of knives, touching a huge, dried blood smear on her kitchen floor.

"OH! Shit, Nny, I'm sorry I thought I had cleaned that up. I was in such a hurry i guess i forgot," She said in a panic, rushing around him and picking up all the knives. She sliced her hand on one, but didn't care. She threw them all into the sink. This was embarrassing. She quickly wet down a dish towel and started scrubbing the bloodstained floor. Nny simply knelt there, the perfect picture of calm, and grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop and look at him. Goddamn he is stronger than he looks.

"What happened in here?" He asked, eyeing her carefully. "The mirror in your bathroom is shattered as well."

Zoey plopped down in front of him dejectedly.

"I have night terrors..."She started.

Nny gestured for her to continue.

"Well, I have them every night. Which is why i don't like to sleep. This particular one was bad. I acted it out, i suppose, because I woke up in here with all these knives and I had cuts all over me," Zoey dropped her gaze sheepishly to the floor, where a small puddle of blood had begun to form under her freshly lacerated hand. She drew circles in it with her finger.

His eyes followed the circles she was drawing, as if it were a perfectly normal thing to do.

"What's this nightmare about?" He asked.

"The murderer that's been killing all those people right here in our area. I have been living in terror! Nobody acts like they even CARE! It's as if they are willfully ignoring it! The cops haven't even TRIED investigating. HUNDREDS of people a month are being killed! I tripped over a dead guy walking into a store the other day, with his eyes gouged out and a sign saying 'Can eye help you?' stabbed into his chest with a fork! It all makes me wonder if I am just really observant or if society as a whole are a bunch of sick, disgusting worms, blind fucking sheep, trotting or crawling along, waiting to be the next dumbass that gets disemboweled! I almost want to shake the guy's hand and jump into the murdering business myself, BECAUSE EVERYONE IS ABSOLUTE FUCKING SHIT!" Zoey paused, taking a breath and lifting her gaze to Nny, who sat there, looking like he had just had an epiphany.

"Sorry...maybe that's a bit much to be telling someone the first day they hang out," she said, feeling embarrassed. Her face turned crimson as he continued to stare at her in shock.

To her sudden and utter surprise, Nny grabbed her and pulled her across the bloody floor to his thin frame, holding her tightly with her cheek pressed against his stony chest. She went instantly rigid. She hated being held like this, but... My _ **god he is warm. He smells nice... Like that sweet scent I smelled when he was carrying me down those stairs. Incense. Yes that's it... its incense. I was so disoriented...**_ What HAD happened? She couldn't exactly remember. It was a cloud of screaming and pleading and strange feelings and smells. She breathed in deeply and let her body relax into his, her long lashes feathering her cheeks. She was being softly lulled into a drowsy state.

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Sometime later, Nny had released her, almost shoving her away. He had a forlorn expression and had gotten up in silence to go stand on her back porch by himself. She could sense that he needed to be alone for a bit, so she didn't follow him. She chose to clean the kitchen floor and then sneak upstairs to take a quick shower and change into her black and white silky pajamas.

"So who is that guy downstairs, Zoey?" piped a small female voice.

Zoey continued to dry her hair, blatantly ignoring her.

"Is he a new friend?" came the voice again.

Zoey, tossed the towel into her laundry basket and turned to face the Raggedy Anne doll on her bed. She was old, and in her childhood, she had dyed black streaks in her long yarn hair and replaced her red button eyes with black ones. She had even sewed her a lacey black and red Lolita dress

"I'm not in the mood tonight, Calamity," Zoey said flatly, eyeing her childhood confidante.

"A shame... such trouble we could get into with that one," Calamity giggled in her high pitched voice.

Zoey covered the doll with a pillow. "Hush."

The doll shoved the pillow off herself with her stuffed hands, standing and dusting herself off.

"You know i hate it when you do that, just look at what you've done to my hair," she whined, smoothing the yarn strands back down. "Besides... He is a rascally looking fellow isn't he? He is, you know it and I bet heeeee knoooows iiiiiit," Calamity singsonged the last part of her observation.

" I do NOT have time for this right now Cal, seriously. Just sit back down and shut up," Zoey snapped at her.

"Zee?" called Nny's voice, his footsteps coming up the stairs.

Zoey shot the doll a threatening glance and dashed to her bedroom door, meeting Nny just outside it and slamming the door shut behind her as Calamity shouted "Suit yourself" loudly from inside.

"Nny, um... sorry i had to take a shower and change...lets go watch a movie downstairs." she suggested.

Nny's eyes were fixated on her bedroom door. His expression was dour. His eyes flicked back to her as they scanned hers, searching for something.

"That's just, well... my bedroom. Its messy." Zoey said quickly.

She skirted around Nny and he turned, following her with that piercing stare. She was starting to get that uneasy feeling he sometimes gave her.

"I have that cheesy horror movie, 'Killer Blob Monster'," Zoey said, trying to distract him.

His eyes lit up. "I LOVE THAT MOVIE!" he exclaimed, following after her quickly. She breathed a sigh of relief. He probably already thought she was a basket case. She didn't need help from Calamity, who was good at making it worse.

END


	8. Monsters

Johnny felt like Zee was hiding something from him. He didn't like that. The way she had slammed the door behind her and the look on her face gave it away. For now, however, he decided not to press her for information. He was content just to be out of his house, away from the disease in his basement and the voices from Meat and Nail-Bunny. He followed her back downstairs and into the living room where she sat cross-legged on the floor and sifted through a drawer under her television.

She finally found a tape and shoved it into the VCR, pressing 'play' and then getting up to go to the kitchen. Johnny followed her as the previews rolled on the screen. She was rummaging through her pantry now.

"Do you like toaster tarts?" She asked, holding up a silver package. "I like having a snack while I watch TV." She added.

Johnny nodded and caught the toaster tarts after Zee tossed them to him, and then followed her back to the living room, sitting on the opposite end of the small couch from her. There wasn't much space on the couch, so he sat with one leg over the arm. The movie had started and they both stared at the screen, eating the tarts in silence. They laughed a few times at the expressions on the peoples faces as the blob ate them. After a while, Zee scooted closer to him and looked at him with her large silver eyes.

"Nny, can I lay my head in your lap? I'm still feeling a bit woozy." She asked.

His chest tightened. She wanted to be closer? She must have read his face, because she backed away slightly.

"Sorry, I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable... honestly, I don't like being touched either so if you want space I understand. I don't have to-"

Johnny grabbed a couch pillow and set it on his lap and pushed her head down into it, making her rambling stop. His stomach twisted, but he chose to ignore it. He had forgotten what it felt like to have someone that wanted to be around him. Without the dough boys around to sway his emotions, it was different. Nobody telling him it wouldn't last; That he needed to pause the moment in time forever. He could decide for himself when it would end. Happiness washed over him for the first time in a couple years. Yes happiness . He was happy...

"This is nice..." He said, without thinking. Shit.

Zee didn't respond, so he leaned slightly to look at her and realized that she had fallen asleep. She had told him earlier she didn't want to sleep. He started to wake her up, but stopped himself. The intimacy of the situation made his head become fuzzy. She felt safe alone with him. Safe enough to let her guard down in the presence of a murderer, and fall asleep. He could so easily extinguish her life like a weak flame. She put her trust and her life into the hands of the very same monster she was probably having a nightmare about at this very second. _**Zee, you have such a terrible sense of security**_ , He thought to her.

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 _ **She was running. Running frantically for her life. He was coming for her and there was nothing she could do. Calamity kept shouting into her head. "Run" she kept saying. "Run faster he is right behind you". A dead end. She was trapped. She turned around to face her personal monster. A dark figure, black as night. She couldn't make out a face. Just piercing, glowing eyes, as it began unfurling like long tendrils of smoke. He pinned her to the wall by her wrists, and then leaned in closer. She struggled. What was happening? This wasn't right. Not right, not right, not right. Her head reeled. "Wake up Zee..." What? "GODDAMN IT, ZEE WAKE UP ."**_

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Zoey's eyes snapped open, adjusting to the light. She looked around. Nny had her backed up to a wall, with her wrists pinned against it on either side of her. She was holding two long kitchen knives in each hand. She opened her hands and they fell to the floor loudly.

"What did I...?" Zoey started, trailing off quietly.

Nny released her with a sigh of relief and knelt down on the floor, holding his side.

"You stabbed me," he said in a raspy whisper. "Got me pretty good, too. Heh," he added with a short laugh. He pulled his hand away and it was covered in blood.

"Oh my GOD! Zoey shouted, panicking. "You need to go to the hospital! Oh god, I am so sorry, oh god, oh god, oh god, where is my phone?" She sputtered, getting up to get her phone.

Nny grabbed her by the wrist, smearing blood on her and nearly pulling her off her feet.

"NO!" he growled. "No hospital. Just...Please take me home. I can fix it."

"FIX it!? You need stitches and, and, and a DOCTOR! You CANT-" Zoey was cut off by Nny, who had suddenly yanked her down to eye level, almost jerking her arm out of its socket. He dug his fingernails into her skin, his eyes flaring.

"Take. Me. HOME." He said in clipped tones.

Zoey nodded silently and helped him to his feet.

"I'm fine, go get the car started, I will lock your door." Nny instructed, breathing heavily.

Zoey nodded again and bolted off to do as he asked. She felt waves of guilt as she started her car, and tears burned at the corners of her eyes. What if he died? She would be a murderer. Nausea hit her stomach hard. Nny finally appeared, pulling open the car door and getting in. Zoey wasted no time, peeling out of her driveway and driving like, well, Nny. She though he was absolutely crazy not to let her take him to the hospital.

They arrived at his house and she followed him up the walkway to the door. He turned to her with cold eyes.

"I am in a lot of pain and there are a LOT of thoughts going through my head right now, so if you choose to follow me inside, I can't make promises that I wont lash out. Weigh your options wisely. If I decide to keep you here, you won't get back out. Nobody ever gets back out; THAT I can promise." He slammed the door shut behind him in her face.

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Johnny made his way slowly to his room, clutching his side and trying to catch his breath through the pain. He violently ripped a drawer out of his desk and rummaged through it, pulling out his suture needle. He pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the floor, getting a look at the small puncture gash in his side. _**Seven stitches should do it.**_ He thought. He sat on his bed and began sewing his wound shut, wincing slightly.

"Girl troubles, Nny?" Meat guessed.

"It wasn't really her fault. She was having an episode in her sleep," Johnny said stonily, working on his last few sutures. He was trying to convince himself, rather than Meat.

"I would love to stab her in the face right now," Johnny added in afterthought.

"No. We need her, Nny... You will see soon enough." Meat said.

Nny, stood and grabbed a nearby switch blade, severing the end of the thread about an inch away from his newly closed wound. Then he pointed it at Meat.

"I don't need anyone," he glowered at the figurine.

He stabbed the knife down into the desk and grabbed his shirt from the floor, tugging it back on and wincing as it slid over his wound. Nobody had ever stabbed him before, he wasn't sure exactly how to feel other than insanely angry. _**Not her fault, Not her fault...**_ he chanted to himself, trying to fight his murderous instincts. He heard his front door softly creak open and then closed. So, she had decided to stay. Willingly and unknowingly submitting herself to whatever he decided to do. _**Such a bad sense of security...**_

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Zoey stepped across the threshold, not knowing that the second she did so, she had signed her life over. She looked around the dim living room and didn't see Nny anywhere. She took a few more steps and paused. Where was he? She got her answer when he came out of a door to the side of the living room and stared at her with one arm behind his back. She walked over to him and he shoved his hand into her shoulder, stopping her short.

"Get out, Zee." he said quietly, not looking at her.

Her eyes welled up as she dropped her head in guilt.

"Nny, I am so sorry... I feel like a monster... I don't deserve you as a friend." She said through her tears.

Nny started laughing darkly, shaking his head. "Strike two... Last chance... GET THE FUCK OUT BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND!"

Zoey nearly fell backward at his outburst, but steadied herself and then ran back outside to her car, leaving Nny standing in the dark of his living room. He dropped the machete he had been hiding behind his back and fell to his knees on the floor.

END


	9. Hello Again

"$7.65," Zoey informed her thousandth customer of the day. The woman handed her a twenty dollar bill.

"I want the change back all in nickels ," the woman said snobbishly.

"Ma'am that's twelve dollars in nickels. That's about two hundred and forty-seven nickels; I don't even HAVE that many, " Zoey explained, staring at the woman incredulously.

"I don't care! The customer is ALWAYS RIGHT!" The woman shot back.

"What about quarters instead? I can give you a ten dollar roll of quarters from the safe and two dollars in quarters from my register." Zoey pleaded.

"I don't WANT quarters, I want nickels!Where is your manager!?" the woman yelled.

Her manager, who had been within earshot the whole time, walked over.

"What's going on here, ma'am?" He asked.

The woman shrieked again about the customer being right and demanded her nickels.

"Zoey, look at how upset you've made this poor woman, I think you should go home for the night.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Zoey shouted.

Her manager nodded.

Zoey shook her head at the stupidity unfolding before her eyes. **_Fine._**

Some time later, she had driven home and after a long shower, sat on her bed solemnly.

"What's going on Zoey?" Calamity asked, walking across the bed and sitting in Zoey's lap.

Zoey shrugged.

"Oh come on, you can tell me anything, remember? Let it out. Give me your troubles," the doll said, patting her with a stuffed arm.

"I'm sick of this world." Zoey said sadly. "I'm sick of the people in it."

Calamity stood up on Zoey's lap and smoothed her little dress. "You know what I think? I think they don't deserve to live," She said in her cutest voice possible.

"That's a terrible thing to say, Cal." Zoey chastised.

"Is it? Oh, silly me," Calamity giggled. "Tell me, what else is on your mind?"

"Johnny." Zoey said quietly.

Calamity grinned happily, feeding off of Zoey's emotions. "Had a falling out with him, did you? Tell me what happened."

Zoey felt drained. Sapped of energy. Light headed. Calamity grew stronger.

"You should call him, I think... See what he has to say," said the doll with fake concern.

Zoey shook her head. "Don't have his number," she told her.

The doll's visage changed from sickeningly sweet to angry. "I need your emotions, Zoey. I'm getting weaker... Do you WANT me to die?"

"Of course not. I just... can't right now," Zoey said listlessly. "I'm going to bed."

The doll was more than overjoyed by this news. "Yes. Sleep my Zoey. Sleep as long as you can..."

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Johnny sat in his living room staring at the TV. Today it gave him no solace. Zee would never come back. Not after what happened the other day. He had to make her leave. She had no idea how close she had come to being his next victim. He was fighting against himself that day, it took everything in him to tell her to leave. The other side of him wanted to drag her downstairs and do all manners of evil things to her with sharp objects. **_And she thinks SHE feels like a monster..._** Johnny thought.

"Are you going to call her, Nny?" Nail-Bunny asked.

"She probably hates me. Or worse, and most likely, fears me." Johnny replied.

"I don't think that is true," said the Bunny reassuringly.

"It's not going to work between her and I. It all but fell apart two days ago." Johnny sighed.

"I think you should call her. She probably wants you to. Didn't you notice? She has no friends. You're her only friend." Meat pointed out to Johnny.

"I feel bad for her then. I'm not good to my 'friends'. All of my 'friends' are downstairs and all they do is scream in horror when they see me." Johnny pointed out.

"We are your friends Nny!" Nail-Bunny interjected.

Meat nodded in agreement. "Yes, we are, but Zee is special. We need her. So you should be trying to get her back."

"You keep saying that. That she is needed. Any time you have told me what I needed, you have some sort of twisted reason. What are you hiding Meat?" Johnny demanded.

"I have no plans for you, but for her. I think it's time she met me, Nny." The Bub's figure replied.

"Absolutely not." Johnny said through his teeth.

"She is going to find out eventually, Nny. Who you really are. What you've done. And lets face it, my boy, you're going to want to kill her when she does. We can't let you kill her. So she needs to meet me. Trust me, after that, you could tell her you kill and she would still want to be near you." Meat explained.

"I don't believe you. She will simply see a glass doll when she meets you. She's not insane!" Johnny shot back.

"OPEN YOUR EYES JOHNNY!" Meat shouted. "The nightmares, stabbing you, being attracted to you, talking in her bedroom to herself, she IS INSANE."

"I'm sorry, but for the first time, I have to agree with Rev., Johnny." Nail-Bunny interrupted. "She is needed. She is insane. But she needs to be convinced and meet Rev. I believe it's the only way."

"And then you could tell her. Tell her who you are, and instead of fear, she will look at you with understanding," Meat added.

"I can try, but I still think you're wrong. Both of you." Johnny sighed.

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Zoey put a few more cd's on the shelf and sighed. She had taken another night shift to make up for the day she had missed. It was okay though, because night shifters got to work alone. She preferred to work alone anyway. She finished putting the cd's away and looked at the clock. **_Closing time. Finally._**

She walked through the parking lot to her car, and fished around for the keys in her trench coat.

"Hello Zee..."

Zoey turned sharply and saw Nny standing by her car, leaning on it. How did he sneak like that? She didn't really care. She was filled with happiness at the sight of him being alive.

"Johnny!," exclaimed joyfully, and lunged at him, hugging him tightly. "I am so glad you are ok, oh my god I was so worried, I thought you never wanted to see me again," she added, not caring that tears were rolling down her cheeks as she looked up at him. He winced slightly and looked puzzled, patting her on the head gently.

"I thought it was the other way around..." he said, deep in thought.

She let go of him, wiping away the tears. "Oh, your cut, I'm sorry..."

"It's only slightly sore," he assured her.

"You walked all the way here in the dark? That's scary..." she told him.

Nny laughed. "I'm not scared... Do you want to hang out?"

Zoey nodded. "I need to take a shower though." she said.

Nny pulled a plastic bag from behind him and held it out to her.

She gave him a confused look and took it, peering inside. There was a black bath towel and shampoo and soap, among other bath things.

"I thought you would say that, so I got these. If you wanna stay the night at my house," he said.

"I would love that," Zoey smiled.

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Zoey stood in the shower in Nny's bathroom, rinsing shampoo out of her hair. She looked down at the tub and noticed it looked like it had been bleached recently. Smelled like it too, but she wasn't complaining. She turned the shower off and grabbed the towel, drying herself off and running her hair through it vigorously. She wrapped it around herself and noticed she didn't have her pajamas. Hm. She opened the door and stepped out, looking at Nny, who was sitting on the couch, staring at the TV.

"Um, Nny?" she said.

His eyes snapped over to her and roved over her body slightly, taking in her appearance. "Oh, pajamas." he said.

Zoey nodded, happy that he was able to read her mind. He gestured for her to follow him into his bedroom, where he began digging through a drawer. She looked around and noticed he seemed to really like knives. There were daggers, swords, switch blades, and machetes either stabbed into stuff, or laying on various surfaces. His bed looked untouched. Then there were the comics and artwork. He seemed to be an amazing artist, aside from the stick figure character. She loved the one of the eyes he had painted.

"Here, these should fit you, we are about the same size," Nny said finally, handing her a top and some black and white plaid pajama pants. He noticed her looking at his art and smiled. "I don't really paint anymore, " he said.

"That's a shame, you are really amazing," Zoey told him.

He shook his head. " Used to be. And Trust me, as a person, I'm far from amazing..." he argued. "Get dressed in here, I'll be in the living room," he added, walking out and closing the door.

She hung the towel on the doorknob and pulled the cotton pajama bottoms on, tying the drawstring tight. They were quite baggy on her, but she actually preferred that. She pulled the black shirt on and it almost exactly fit her, but was slightly long because Nny was quite a bit taller than her. It had black and white striped sleeves and It had 'Z?' hand painted on the back of it in white paint. She wondered what that meant. She shrugged and walked back out to Nny in the living room, holding her arms out to her sides. "Do I look disastrous?" she asked.

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Johnny paled. She looked nice. Especially in that shirt. It was fitting for her to wear it, given the fact that she did, in fact, question sleep. Just like him...Maybe the Bunny and Meat were right. She did remind him of himself a little in that shirt. He could see her killing people and laughing maniacally.

"Nny?" Zee asked. "Why are you staring at me like that, do I look awful?"

Johnny blinked. **_Oops_**. "No, you look fine."

"Okay good," she said, plopping down on the couch next to him and poking at the Bub's Burger Boy on the coffee table. "Where'd you get this cute little guy?"

Johnny watched her face carefully, looking for any kind of clue that he was talking to her, because Meat sure as hell wasn't talking to him at the moment.

"Oh..." she said suddenly.

Johnny stared, feeling butterflies of nervousness.

"Oh, really? He said that?" She continued, her eye twitching.

Johnny widened his eyes in disbelief. She was actually doing it. Talking to Meat. Also, did he look that crazy when he talked to Meat? God, he hoped not.

"Calamity," she said, shaking uncontrollably.

Cala-wha? **_Ok this has gone on far enough Meat, let her go._** He thought Viciously.

"She wont remember a thing, Hahahaha. I simply needed to prove to you that she would hear my voice! Convincing her to admit to you that she is crazy will come later. " Meat said.

Zoey sat, staring blankly at the figurine as if she were in a deep trance.

"Fine, just let her go for now! You could break her if you let it go on too long," Johnny ordered.

Zoey blinked and shuddered suddenly, as if someone had dumped ice on her. " Oh man, I think I blacked out for a second, that's scary." she said, looking at Nny. "What?" she added, furrowing her eyebrows at him.

Johnny realized he was staring at her like she had grown another face. He laughed. "Nothing, sorry. Let's watch TV." He added, flipping the television on. He was secretly happy that she had actually been effected by the sickness that allowed Meat to speak.

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Zoey nestled herself into the couch and watched the screen flicker with the nightly news.

"The body was found later that evening, with lacerations and major mutilation, when the trash service picked the dumpsters up." The lady was saying. "The man was identified as local Rion Neiman, a college student at Brainy Academy and here is a CLOSE UP of the carnage that used to be his body! That makes the death toll around two thousand this month. Kind of high this month right Tom? " She laughed.

Zoey's heart skipped a beat as she saw the images of her ex's mutilated corpse. She put her hand to her mouth feeling like she was about to be ill. "Oh my god..." she said softly, shaking her head. " Oh, GOD , I think I'm going to be sick," she said, running into the bathroom.

Nny followed her, leaning against the bathroom doorway as she vomited into the toilet. He handed her a dish towel, and she spit into the toilet and flushed it, grabbing the towel and cleaning her face. She sat up on the floor with her back against the bathroom wall.

"He killed Rion..." she said quietly. "That psychotic killer murdered him... VIOLENTLY." she added. "Did you SEE his body? Who the fuck would DO that? A sick, sadistic psychopath would, that's who. And that lady on the news talking about it as if it were tea time in England. WHAT THE FUCK!? There's a fucking MANIAC running around people, DO SOMETHING!" Zoey ranted.

Nny flinched a little at her words, lowering his head. "I think he deserved what he got," he said darkly.

Zoey looked at him. "Deserved to be cut in half and have his guts flung around?"

Nny nodded. "Yes. He was a bad person. Have you noticed that ninety percent of his victims are bad people? HAVE you?" Nny said harshly.

Zoey shook her head at him incredulously. Why was he sticking up for a murderer? "Oh yeah? Well what about that lady he left hanging by her intestines outside the thrift store," Zoey argued. "She was just helping her kid sell bracelets she made."

"THAT WAS A FLUKE!" Nny yelled suddenly. "ALSO, SHE WAS EXPLOITING HER DAUGHTER FOR MONEY! Ooooooh, look at my kid, isn't she CUTE!? BUY ALL THIS SHIT!"

Zoey burst into uncontrollable laughter at his outrage. Seeming to throw him off guard.

"WHAT'S FUNNY!?" he demanded.

Zoey got ahold of herself, wiping away tears from laughing so hard and stood up. " It's just... You DO kind of have a point," she said, giggling a bit. "He does kill people that are doing stuff that's not really ethical. Most of them are complete assholes, but...I still don't think anyone has the right to decide whether someone else gets to live or die." she said.

She saw Nny relax a bit and noticed blood staining his shirt. "Nny, you're bleeding!"

He looked down and touched it, wincing. " Must have ripped a stitch out," he said.

"Let me see it," Zoey demanded.

Nny gave her a funny look, but lifted the side of his shirt, exposing his stomach and ribs. He had seven sutures, and one had come unstuck from a scab but was still firmly in place. Nothing too serious.

"You did this yourself?" Zoey asked, looking up at him.

He nodded. She looked at it closer and it actually looked like it was done pretty well, but needed some antibacterial ointment. She pulled at him by the wrist, and he let her lead him back into the living room. She dug in her backpack and found her roll of bandages and antibacterial ointment, and walked over to Nny.

"Take your shirt off," she instructed.

"I don't need all that stuff," he said, taking a step back.

"JOHNNY, just do it," she said firmly.

He looked at the little burger boy statuette, glaring at it intensely as if had somehow insulted him by being there. Zoey raised a brow at him, and used his moment of distraction to lift his shirt up, dabbing the stitches with the ointment.

He whipped around and grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her backward, pinning her down onto the couch. "I told you I am fine!" he growled sharply, looking down at her.

"I just want to help you, Nny," she said shakily. Why did he have such a horrible temper? Maybe he was bipolar. It was definitely seeming that way. "Can you please just trust me?" She asked in a small voice.

He stared down at her for a moment then got off of her, standing up and tugging his shirt off.

"Do it. Make it quick." he said bitterly.

He followed her with his eyes calculatedly as she reapplied the antibacterial, and then began rolling the bandages around his midsection, covering the stitches. She tried not to wrap it too tightly and then stood behind him, hooking the metal prongs in at the end to keep it from unraveling.

"Okay, all done," she said walking back around to inspect her work.

Nny inspected too, turning his side to look down at it, and pushed at it lightly with his fingers. "Thank you, Zee. It feels better." He said.

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Johnny sat with Zee on the couch again, not bothering to put his shirt on, as the bandages pretty much covered everything but his shoulders and stomach. Zee sat next to him, yawning and trying not to fall asleep.

"Nny?" she said in a tired voice.

"Yes?" he replied, staring at the BrainFreezy commercial on TV.

"Don't let me fall asleep, please," she begged.

He looked at her. She looked like she hadn't slept in a week. "You sure about that?" he asked skeptically.

"I'm scared I might hurt you again, or myself," she said.

"The only reason you even got close enough to stab me last time is because I wasn't expecting it. You can sleep, Zee. I will chain you to a wall if I have to, but you don't need to worry about me," Johnny said.

"Is that really an option? Chaining me?" Zoey asked.

Johnny laughed, but stopped himself when he saw that she was completely serious.

"Told you she was crazy..." Meat said from the coffee table. Johnny shot him a warning glance.

"Well... I do have shackles..." Johnny told her slowly.

Her eyes lit up. "You can shackle my wrist to the couch! Then I wont get up and do anything stupid," she said, excitedly.

Johnny pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers for a moment. "You are absolutely SURE you want me to do that to you?"

Zee nodded vigorously. "I haven't slept well in almost two days," she said desperately.

"Alright, you got it then... I'll go get them. You stay here." He ordered, walking over to his basement door and opening it. "And I absolutely do mean STAY THERE." He added before walking down the stairs.

END


End file.
